maison&objet americas is readying for its second edition in may 2016, an event that will bring an international class of creatives, visitors, and professionals to miami, with a highlight on a north and south american presence. the first americas edition garnered 300 brands and received more than 8,600 unique visitors from 82 countries. the upcoming 2016 fair — running from may 10 – 13th — will double in size, and see the entire city of miami transform into the capital of design in the americas.

each year, the maison&objet brand acknowledges the most outstanding names in the design and decor industries, showcasing each one of these creatives during the global fair’s annual editions. maison&objet americas has named new york based architect and designer rafael de cárdenas as designer of the year 2016

Rafael de Cárdenas / Architecture at Large is a seasoned resource for design vision and execution with wide-ranging projects in architecture, residential and commercial interiors, temporary spaces, furniture, and integrated objects. Rafael de Cárdenas / Architecture at Large was founded in 2006 as a small office in Chinatown, NYC.

The practice has now expanded to two continents with offices in New York and London. They maintain a small, dedicated, staff of professional designers with diverse backgrounds that range from fashion design to dance to research science. Working with an international team of collaborators including artists, fabricators, and artisans, the studio is currently developing projects in North America, Eastern and Western Europe, and Asia.

They favor the strategic over the thematic, the cosmopolitan over the typological, and the atmospheric over the static. Ever-focused on the contemporary, they take diligent note of the past while day-dreaming the future.